David Beckham’s influence seems to extend to Lionel Messi, with the Inter Miami star looking to life after football by buying his own club.
Lionel Messi buys a football club (Image: Getty Images)
Lionel Messi has followed in David Beckham’s footsteps and bought his own football club. Widely considered to be the greatest player to ever play this beautiful game, the Argentine is currently in the twilight stage of his career at Inter Miami.
Beckham exercised his option to establish the club in 2014, before establishing it in 2018. Since then, Inter Miami has continued to enjoy remarkable success in MLS, winning the League’s Cup in 2023 and winning the conference the following year.
On top of that, the club has attracted a number of world-class stars since its creation, from Messi to Sergio Busquets, Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba. And now Messi appears to be preparing for the next stage of his illustrious career by purchasing Spanish third-tier side UE Cornellá.
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Messi, who is based in Catalonia as well as his beloved Barcelona, where he spent 17 years of his playing career, is believed to have bought 100% of Cornella, meaning he will own the club outright. An official statement announcing the acquisition said: “UE Cornellá has announced that Leo Messi, the Argentine footballer and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, has officially approved the acquisition of the club and becomes the new owner of Vice Llobregat.”
“This move strengthens Messi’s close relationship with Barcelona and his commitment to Catalan sport and the development of local talent, a connection that is rooted in his time at FC Barcelona and has continued ever since. UE Cornella, founded in 1951, has one of the greatest traditions not only in Catalan football, but also in Catalan football.”
“Throughout its history, the club has distinguished itself by its strong youth academy and ability to compete at the highest level of Spanish semi-professional football, and has become a benchmark in the development of young talent.
David Raya, goalkeeper of Spain and Arsenal; Jordi Alba, Messi’s former teammate at FC Barcelona and Inter Miami; Gerard Martín, who has developed into a first-team defender and is one of FC Barcelona’s recent standout players; Javi Puado, captain of RCD Espanyol and a member of the Spanish national team. Several players have passed through the club’s ranks who have reached the elite level of domestic and international football, including Senegal international Keita Bardet, one of Real Betis Balompié’s current captains, Aitor Ruibal, who has extensive experience in Europe’s top leagues, and Jiri Sanchez, an MLS champion and two-time MLS All-Star.
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“All of them, like many other players who have gone on to develop their professional careers, reflect the strength and success of the club’s development model. Messi’s commitment to young talent is also reflected in the club’s strong youth structure, with teams competing in the top youth categories at both national and regional level.”
“This commitment is also demonstrated by the Argentina captain through other youth development initiatives, such as the Messi Cup, a tournament whose first edition was held in Miami last December and which features eight of the world’s top under-16 teams (Newell’s Old Boys, Inter Milan, River Plate, Inter Miami, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea FC, Manchester City > Manchester City and FC Barcelona).
“The addition of Leo Messi marks the beginning of a new chapter in the club’s history, which aims to foster both sporting and organizational growth, strengthen its foundations and continuously invest in its people. This project is guided by a long-term vision and strategic plan that combines ambition, sustainability and a strong connection with its local roots.”
David Beckham is the owner of Inter Miami (Image: Getty Images)
After joining from Newell’s Old Boys in the formative years, Messi rose through Barcelona’s youth ranks and joined the first team in 2004. He spent 17 years with the La Liga giants, scoring 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 appearances, remaining the club’s all-time top scorer.
He also amassed an impressive track record of seven Ballon d’Or, 10 La Liga titles, 14 domestic cups and four Champions Leagues before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. After winning another Ballon d’Or, two Ligue 1 trophies and one Trophe de Champion, he landed at Inter Miami in 2023.
Messi has a contract until 2028 and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. But it is unclear whether the Rosario-born star will return to international action this summer, when new tournaments are being held across North America to help defend the World Cup he won just four years ago.
